Steering device for motor tractors



Sept. 7 {1926. 1,599,262

I E. C. D. WITHELL STEERING DEVICE FOR MOTOR TRACTORS Filed 001:. 24, 1924 BY: J'AJMMQ ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES,PATENT;OFFICE;' EDGAR CHARLES DARFIELD WITHIILL, or Ma im-m, Nata meaowasiat or 2 ASYHBVURTYON, NEW: znA LANn. i

s'rnnnnve nnvron non MOTOR-TRACTORS.

Application filed October 24, 1924, Serial No, 745,716, aid in; n w,zea1 naaa1 ;2,'1e24.,

agriculturalimplements, the front wheels are apt tobe'turnedfrom side to-side and consequently the driver is obliged to exercise considerable forceyupon the steeringwheel in order to counteract this tendency and keep the tractor upon a straightcourse.

It is the object of the present invention struction, as here illustrated, in Figs. 1 and however to provide means whereby the steering-gear may, at the will rofthe driver, be locked in the required position to -cause the tractor to proceed in a straight line, thereby saving the driver considerable fatigue and leaving him free to attend to other matters 2 in connection with the running of the tractor or the drawn implement.

In carrying this object into efiect according to the present invention there is mounted upon some fixed portion of the chassis, or under-structure of the tractor, a member positioned side by-side with the drag-link of the steering-gear, upon such drag-link and member are suitable formations, adaptedby amanipulation of the driver,'to be brought into engagement with each other when the drag-link is in that position in which it places the front Wheels of the tractor so as to cause the same to travel in a straight line, thus causing the drag-link to" be locked or retained in this position and so relieving the driver and the remainder of the steering gear of the strain, while by afurther move ment or manipulation by the driver the'said formations may be disengaged, thus permitting the steering to be resumed in the ordinary manner.

' One of the said formations is mounted to be movable in a direction parallel withthe drag-link but is limited or restrained in such movement by means of a cushioning spring or springs which therefore absorb .to each other.

fully described and explainedwith reference to the accompanyingsheet of drawings, in

v which I Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a tractor showing applied thereto one embodiment of the invention here illustrated in thelocleedposition. v a Q Figh -2 is a plan View of such locking device, showing the same in the unlocked or openposition, and

; Fig. 3 is a plan view of aaniodified form of the construction. v

I r In one preferred embodiment of-the con 2, there is provided arrod ranch is disposed side-by-side, with the drag-link 2 of the tractor, such rod 1- being attached at its forwardend byme'ansof va clip 3 to the- I front axle 4 of the tractor, while the rear end of the rod is-attached by meansflof a clip 5 to a filler-duct 6or other fixed point-upon the chassis or structure of'the tractor 7 Upon the said rod 1- is slidably mounted rod .to either end of the said member Sand adapted to. act upon the latter in opposition In this form of the-construction the said rod 1 is preferably-of square cross-section, as here shown, or otherwise formed to nonrotatably carry thesliding member 8, which latter is provided with an upward projection ,10, J r r Y Attached to the drag-link2,'preferably by means of clips ll adaptedto embrace'such link, are a pair of bearings 12, in which is rotatablymounted a shaft] or spindle 18 extending parallel w'iththe drag-link.

Rigidly' attached tothe said spindle 13 at a position between thesaid bearings '12 is a plate or member 1.4: which extends laterally, at one side of such spindle and is formed with, a slotor o'pening15- adapted when such spindle isturned'axially intoone position, to com'e in line with the said projection 10 and engage such projection when the draglink is in its said position to cause the tractor to travelin a straightline. The

action of turning the spindle into another positionwill cause the said opening 1.5 to

disengage the projection 10, thus releasing the drag-link and so permitting of hand steering being resumed.

As rhere-shown, .for the purposeo'f enabling this turning of the spindle 13 tobe conveniently,eifected such -spinclle is formed at its rear end, with one or more radial arms or cranks 16 adapted to be engaged by the ,foot of the driver fromhis .seat uponithe tractor. In lieu of these arms however any other "suitable means -may be provided to enable this turning of the spindle to be elfectefd by the hand, "footor other-portion of the-driver. A 'thi-rd bearing l7'is also preferably provided to carry the rear .end

ofthe spindle ,1 3, such bearing being prefer- ;ably secured -,to :the drag -link-by means of a clip similar "to thosesof-the bearings 12.

The cushioning springs-9 will ;be soareranged asto permit of their controlled mem- "ber moving 1 just su-tficiently to absorb shocks .and strains, which, in thegabsence of ;such 'provisionymlghtcause damage to the parts. Provision 1s preferably-made for enabllng the strengths-or"pressuresof the springs to 'tappedtherei-n and adapted to=engage the .rod or clamp such collars upon the rod.

The constructiony'may however be mori- :fied in variousaways. Thus forzexamplethe bearings of the shaft 13 may be carried upon the rod .11 and the engaging formation of such shaftniay consist :of a tonguezor projection 21 .engageable with a groove .22 formed in the pe-ripherycof a collar 23yslidably -mounte dupon the jdraglink and restrained by cushioning-springs 24L coiled upon such drag-link. between the ends of the collar-23 andcollars25 fixedly attached to such drag-link, all-asshownin Fig. 3.

It Will also be obvious that it isimma'terial which of thegmembers- -dand llofFig. 91, or 2l-and23 f Fig.j3,be slidable, provided thatoneof either pair isslidable on ,its carryingimember vwhile the other is secured against :such .sli ding movement.

In operation, while hand-steering isbeing effected by; means of thevv hand-wheel or other manipulable device, the shaft 13 will .be

travel in'a straight line.

turned into the required position toplace its engaging member as 15 or 21 clear of the corresponding formation as 10 or 22.

. d vhenzlocking of the steering isdesired however the said shaft will be turned into that position-inwhich it places its engaging member-15 or 21within range of the corre sponding formation 10 .or 22 so that engagement between ,thelatter and the formation 15 or 21 will take place when the drag-link is brought by the steering wheelzinto that position in which it causes the tractor to I claim 1. In a motor tractor, the combination 0-;

a front axle vertically swlngable relatively to the frame of the-tractor and provided -.with steeringknuckles atopposite ends thereof, a drag link disposed at right :anglesto cured in parallelismwith said draglink, said 'bar and link carrying one a member slidable thereon .and the othertcarrylng a plvoted member fixedagainst sliding. movement, said fixed member 2 being adapted to engage the slidable member, T springs for :malntaining :said'slidable member in acentral position,

and means in. position to be operated by the foot of the driver for swinging said pivoted member into :and out of engagement with said slidable member.

2. In a motor tractor, ithe'combination of .a 'front aXle verticallyswingabi'e relatively to the frame of the tractor and provided 'with steering knuckles 1 at opposite ends thereof, a drag link disposed-at right angles to said axle and connected with one of said jknuckles for directing the same, a bar segcuredin parallelism-with .said drag-link, a

member --carried by said bar and slidable said axle I and connected with one of said knuckles for d rectlng thesame, bar selongitudinallythereon, a pluralityof bean ing members fixedly secured on said drag link, a rod journalled in saidbearings in parallel relation with-the drag link, a laterally extending member secured to said rod and adapted to engage said-slidable member,

springs disposed one ,at each end of said slidable member and adapted to normallymain tam said-member 1nv a: central position, and.

laterally extending arms carried by said rod and disposed in position to beoperated .by the foot'of the driver for swinging said rod thereby ,to carry said laterally extending n1emberinto and out of engagement witn sald sl dable member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDGAR CHARLES DARFIELD TWETHELL; 

